seat post springs

[bmh]

Didn't know where to put this, we don't have a section for chassis stuff. Anyway I quit smoking the other year and now I am carrying a little more than I used to and should re-spring some seat posts. That means pulling them apart a seeing what springs are on them and going through all my other seat springs and seeing what I've got. I think I have the dimensions on them all except the 51777-30, I know its the really short one and isn't easy to mix up, but how long should it be? Also is there a difference in wire size or something to tell the 51775-31 & 51780-30 apart other than the length? there is only 1\16" difference between the two when new..... all my stuff is used, might not be any measurable difference in them now. Thanks in advance.

[flat-happy]

if you find out what dimensions you need i have a crate full of nos springs but i do know that you can adjust the preload on the springs you have. just take out the seat post and turn the nuts upward to shorten the overall length of the section with springs and it makes the whole thing stiffer. course if you gained 100 or more.........it'll tell you how to do it in the service manual----good luck

[Robert Luland]

Brian bean and I are rolling on the floor. I stopped smoking three years ago and put on thirty pounds. When I was in Oley I came across a guy that sells custom pogo springs. You couldn't have missed him but your sub brain was saying "O" not me! I'll post his web site and number in the morning. It's good fat boy! Good fat. Bob L

[Rooster]

Go to the Spare Parts Catalog, look up the individual springs, the length is given there. Also in the Shovelhead manual, there is a chart that gives the lengths there. See attached.

You can also pick up a set of "Heavy" springs from NOS-Parts for around $37.

[Rooster]

As for the smoking, I smoked like a raging forest fire for 32 years, then quit 'em 7 years ago. I ballooned up to 272#, then decided that was enough, and shed 60 pounds. I have since gained back about 15, but I feel great.
My point is, being (ahem) "heavy" is better than being a smoker. When you feel like slimming down, you'll be able to do that in the same way you quit smoking--- sheer damn guts and steely determination.

[Robert Luland]

Tom I have the heavy spring set and at 230lb I still bottom out some times. It's also the rebound. Theres a whole little science onto its own in this department. The guy that had the spring stand at Oley was:

Heavy weight spring sets for Harley-Davidson seat posts. David Croft 440-458-8813

[Rooster]

Yeah, I have in my resource folder David Crofts name and number, He is 'the man' when it comes to seat post 'springology'.
I must have an old number for him, I have 440-322-0749.
And I agree, there's a lot more to this seat post business than just a few springs.

[c.o.]

You guys aren't kidding behind the science of "springology"! I got my seat post in and found that it bottoms out but it's not real good on the rebound. I took it out again and checked the adjustment (per manual instructions) and then put it back in with little effect. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!

[Rooster]

You guys aren't kidding behind the science of "springology"! I got my seat post in and found that it bottoms out but it's not real good on the rebound. I took it out again and checked the adjustment (per manual instructions) and then put it back in with little effect. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!

Did you unscrew the plunger from the top of the rod and check the rebound springs inside the plunger? Almost every one I've taken apart has broken rebound springs and auxilliary springs. If you have them all in the plunger, there's 3.

[bmh]

Thanks, Mr. Croft may be the person I was looking for at Oley. I have bought springs off him before and new he could help but I didn't see him this year. Thankfully I didnt make it all the way to "heavy duty" ,but I did start out as the runt of the litter though

[c.o.]

Did you unscrew the plunger from the top of the rod and check the rebound springs inside the plunger? Almost every one I've taken apart has broken rebound springs and auxilliary springs. If you have them all in the plunger, there's 3.

Hmmmmmm... this is a re-pop post that I picked up at a swapmeet a couple years back. Surely it's intact? I've got to yank it out again anyway so I'll have a better look at it.

[Chris Haynes]

An old trick is to simply put an old used valve spring over the seat post on top of the frame.

[c.o.]

Good to know Chris. Thanks for the tip! I may just do that if I can't figure it out. I've got an NOS set of springs on the shelf. I may just compare them to the new springs on the post.

[Lonnie]

Is David Croft the guy who used to sell the spring sets that had new colored die or stripper springs? If so, I've had 3 sets of those for my weight at 255 (now 223) pounds and they were the only sets that I've ever had that did not bottom out yet had enough spring action to be comfortable. Even the NOS heavy duty springs were inadequate at the 255 lbs. weight.

Lonnie C.

[koanes]

Dave is the guy Lonnie. He has put a lot of effort into finding the right balance. He has made it possible for me to really enjoy the ride on a rigid with a solo seat. I have the heavy HD springset in my WL, and after putting some miles on the bike in the last week I find I'm about an inch shorter now. Just not stiff enough for a 280 lb. guy. Over 25 years ago I had a riding partner with a 47 Knuck, that was around 360. We had access to a large selection of die springs (Ted was a moldmaker at Motorola) to experiment with and we were able to get a suitable set up for him. I think people often overlook this area in the resto process. Having tight bushings at the front of the T, and at the post, with a proper spring load can turn a wiggly back buster into a Cadilac smooth ride.